


Burning Rubber

by hojjangg



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Street Racing, competitive jooheon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:07:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24084829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hojjangg/pseuds/hojjangg
Summary: Those dark eyes had been trained on the road ahead of them, but now they turned to Jooheon’s direction, and narrowed. The buzz inside Jooheon’s veins answered it, as that cool gaze met his. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else was even in his line of sight, than the man he had to defeat.He was ready.
Kudos: 5





	Burning Rubber

**Author's Note:**

> Did a writing challenge where I had to write a fic inspired by an instrumental track and honestly enjoyed this SO much. For the full affect, have a listen while you read: https://youtu.be/95NV5sX3zkQ

It was a clear night as Jooheon stood by the roadside. 

The stars were out, scattered across the sky, and the moon would have been shining down on the bitumen, were it not currently lit up by flood lights. 

There was someone beside him, head bent and murmuring in his ear, with a reassuring hand on his shoulder, but he couldn’t hear the words. He was already far away, his mind set on only one thing. There were people all around him, but his focus was on one thing. 

Scores of people were gathered all around them, excitement buzzing from left to right as they all waited in anticipation, but none of it could compare to the buzz inside Jooheon’s veins. He was ready, he’d never been more ready in his life. This was his moment. 

And even though the noise was all around him, the lights were blaringly bright, and the music was pumping through the portable speakers, he was still focused. He was still calm. He was still set on his goal. 

He was going to win. 

Across the bitumen, almost completely adjacent, was a man named Hoseok. He was standing amongst all the noise, too. He was focused, too. 

Those dark eyes had been trained on the road ahead of them, but now they turned to Jooheon’s direction, and narrowed. The buzz inside Jooheon’s veins answered it, as that cool gaze met his. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else was even in his line of sight, than the man he had to defeat. 

He was ready. 

Jooheon was pulled from the staring contest with a hard slap on the back, and realised his friend was telling him that it was time. The crowd was growing louder in anticipation, and the cheering really started as Jooheon turned and climbed into the driver’s seat of his Mustang, the orange bonnet reflecting the lights above them. 

He put on his seatbelt, and took a deep breath, as the people cheered and a young woman appeared on the road, holding a flag. He didn’t need to look to see that Hoseok had disappeared into his Camaro, also, and as he slowly maneuvered his car forwards to the start line, he could see the red vehicle in his peripheral vision, mirroring his movements. 

How many months had he waited for this moment? How many days had he spent out on the track, skidding around corners and pushing himself and his car to the limit? Too many to count. He’d never anticipated a race more than this one, and he’d never been more determined to win than this one. 

This was his time. 

They’d rolled up to the start line, side by side. They’d tightened their grip on their steering wheels, both in time. They’d stared down the woman in front of them, who was grinning in delight, and as soon as she winked, revved their engines as smoke billowed from exhaust pipes. 

Everyone waited, even held their breaths. They’d never seen a more competitive race than what this one promised to be. No pair of opponents that had rolled up to this street had been so determined, so evenly matched in skill, so ready to win. 

The time was now. 

3…

2…

1…

The flag shot down, and tyres instantly screeched. Both cars flew off down the road, bursting from their places, as if powered by the sheer anticipation that had been thrumming through Jooheon’s whole body. He’d never felt a rush like the feeling of going 0 to 100 in 2 seconds, and it’s this that he started the race with, shooting off down the road with nothing in sight but the bitumen in front of him. It was these first few moments, as he threw the gear stick and shifted up, that he hadn’t even seen Hoseok’s car. He had his eyes on the prize, that was at the end of the winding road that stretched around the coast, waiting for him at the finish line. 

It wasn’t until he reached the first corner that he saw him. The red camaro appeared to his right, trying to overtake on the inside as he shifted gears and skidded onto the freeway. 

From that moment forward, they were neck and neck. 

The road swung around high cliffs and rock formations, and Jooheon flew around each bend with practised precision, his hands mastering every turn of the steering wheel. The whole time, Hoseok was right there, screaming around the corners with him, never falling behind, never straying from him, always neck and neck, toe to toe, heel to heel. 

They were reaching the hardest corner yet, and Jooheon knew that if he were to get any advantage at all from this point, it would be on this corner. It had bested him many times before, back in his earlier days, but not now. Not after all these years.

As they approached the sharp bend, he could see the moon high in the sky, casting its glow over the ocean. He could see Hoseok’s red Camaro in his peripheral vision, screaming down the road alongside him. It was these moments, in the heat of the race, that his heart pounded and his excitement was immeasurable. 

It was indescribable, the feeling that overcame him in these moments. When nothing mattered but you, and your car, and the road. When you were head to head, fighting for the lead, begging for the win. It was incredible. It was electrifying. It was addictive. 

This was where he belonged. On the road, flying around corners and skidding between lanes. Pushing his car to the limit, throwing the gear stick at just the precise moment, slamming on the brakes and drifting into the lead. 

He knew that winning this race wasn’t guaranteed. He knew that Hoseok was his biggest rival, the most difficult opponent he’d ever faced. He knew that he might not make this corner well enough to overtake him.

But he’d never felt so alive. And he’d never felt so ready, so willing, so determined to be the winner. 

So as his heart pounded, and his engine revved, and his hand stilled by the gear stick, he prepared himself for his moment, and his veins sang with pure delight. 

The corner arrived, he threw the gear stick down, and his tyres drifted around the bend. It was amidst the moment, somewhere between realities, that he glanced to his left. 

Hoseok’s car was drifting with him, smoke billowing from screeching tyres, and Jooheon couldn’t top that moment more if he tried.

His best friend was smiling back at him. 


End file.
